Internet Bread Crumbs
On the internet you can exist in ways you don't realize. You can strive to build an alternative "Net Identity", or you can embrace it and be who you are in all places. Often regardless of what you try to accomplish for your net identity, there are always connections made that you don't realize or intend. Just the other day someone called me on my cell phone who thought I sold fence. Sell a man a fence, and he is defended for a day, teach a man to fence and he is defended his whole lifetime.
Many of the internet youth, have learned or are learning that nothing on the internet is every truly anonymous. They imagine or imagined that the internet is so big their college exploits will fall into the void and no one will ever see it again. Not so they are learning, as the megacorps are scanning myspace, facebook, and others seeking information necessary to decide, "Do we want this person working for us." The lawyers will argue, and rightly so, that the less information that exist about you, the more doors are open to you. IE, nothing said off hand is going to bite you in the behind 20 years later when you run for public office. On the other hand, if you avoid drugs, prostitutes, or earning yourself a headline on Fark, it seems no one really cares what you do with your free time. Its also probably a pretty good idea to avoid talking about your workplace, and coworkers in general. Yes, people really do have enough free time on their hands to make a hobby of trying to find dirt on you for nefarious gains. Why make it easy for them. All hobbies should be a challenge, both the wholesome ones as well as the petty ones.
From early on I took the attitude that I am who I am both physically and in the electrons. I have nothing to hide, and I am not ashamed of who I am. Sure I have things I am not proud of, but the more people try to hide things like that the faster they seem to see the light of day. Ask any politician.
Part of my reasoning was for the future. I expect to make friends and acquaintances both live and electronically, and I see no reason why there should be a line between them. Part of my reasoning was also the past. I have had many friends and acquaintances in my past that have slipped away from me, due to moving, moving on, growing up, and just plain changes of taste and disposition. For those, I have an interest in reconnecting with. I am not saying picking up the friendship that died on the elementary school playground, but wouldn't it be neat to know that they are doing well, have a spouse and a family, and are doing something they enjoy?
For that reason I leave these internet bread crumbs, better known as blog entries under my own name. Anyone who wants to find me, need only look me up in their favorite search engine. Others looking for things and places near to me may stumble upon me, and go "Hey! I know that guy!"
And that is how Chris and I reconnected. As it turns he also left the untamed wilds of Carteret County to seek his fortune in IT, by pure coincidence his life also lead him to Greensboro. By amazing coincidence he works about a block from where I work.
Pretty cool huh? Hi Chris!
All we have to do now is avoid witches with a penchant for baked architecture and we're home free.
